The city could sell a small parcel in the Issaquah Highlands, and residents can offer input on the proposal April 16.

The property under consideration is 14,693 square feet, or about the size of the Issaquah Library, in the Issaquah Highlands’ Forest Ridge subdivision. If sold, the land could be used for residences.

People interested in the proposed transaction can appear at the City Council’s public hearing and offer input for or against the item, or provide comments about the proposed agreement. The council meets in the Council Chambers at City Hall South, 135 E. Sunset Way, at 7:30 p.m.

The property is part of a complicated transfer of development rights completed in March 2011. In exchange for preserving a forested Tiger Mountain site near Issaquah High School, officials agreed to open additional highlands land to development.

Mayor Ava Frisinger highlighted a more muscular economic development effort and a reshuffled City Hall structure in the State of the City address — the speech to set Issaquah leaders’ agenda for the months ahead.

The address, delivered Feb. 6, days after the city announced employee layoffs, echoed a top priority from the City Council — a concerted effort to attract businesses to Issaquah and convince established businesses to remain in the city. The effort to remake City Hall functions also dominated the speech.

Ava Frisinger

“A major focus for 2012 will be enhancing our economic vitality, which is a community’s capacity to be economically competitive, resilient and attractive to both private and public enterprise,” Frisinger said.

Under a reorganization plan prepared by Seattle consultant Moss Adams and delivered late last year, the city focused on efficiency and effectiveness. The consultant discovered different cultures, expectations and management styles across municipal departments. Moss Adams pointed out the differences in coordination, scheduling and tracking across departments.

“In the end, our goal is to enhance customer service, find efficiencies and prepare our city for the years and decades ahead,” Frisinger said.

Though the reorganization emerged as a strong theme, Frisinger also used the address to spotlight ongoing projects.

Mayor Ava Frisinger highlighted a more muscular economic development effort and a reshuffled City Hall structure in the State of the City address — the speech to set Issaquah leaders’ agenda for the months ahead.

Ava Frisinger

The address, delivered Monday, days after the city announced employee layoffs, echoed a top priority from the City Council — a concerted effort to attract businesses to Issaquah and convince established businesses to remain in the city. The effort to remake City Hall functions also dominated the speech.

“A major focus for 2012 will be enhancing our economic vitality, which is a community’s capacity to be economically competitive, resilient and attractive to both private and public enterprise,” Frisinger said.

The potential for snow prompted city leaders to cancel the Jan. 17 City Council meeting and reschedule Mayor Ava Frisinger’s State of the City address.

The mayor is due to deliver the annual speech at the Feb. 6 council meeting. The address, plus a council goal-setting retreat each spring and the budget proposal each fall, helps form the municipal budget and priorities for the year ahead.

The council meets at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall South, 135 E. Sunset Way.

The latest State of the City address comes as Frisinger and other leaders offer a renewed focus on economic development and reorganize City Hall operations.

In the 2011 address, Frisinger predicted “a momentous year for Issaquah” — and many milestones outlined in the speech came to pass in the months soon afterward. The city preserved the Park Pointe site on Tiger Mountain after a yearslong process, opened ultra-“green” Eastside Fire & Rescue Station 72 and joined Swedish Medical Center to inaugurate the Swedish/Issaquah campus.

In a dignified sendoff Dec. 19, City Council members bid farewell to Council President John Traeger.

John Traeger

Traeger decided in late April to step down after a single term as a councilman after leading the council through a busy period.

Other council members elected the technology consultant and Squak Mountain resident to lead the board for 2010 and again for 2011. Under Traeger, council members preserved the forested Park Pointe site near Issaquah High School, hired City Administrator Bob Harrison and embarked on a landmark reorganization of city government.

In addition, the council president runs semimonthly council meetings and monthly Committee-of-the-Whole Council meetings, handles committee assignments and represents the city if Mayor Ava Frisinger is absent.

“I will miss Councilmember Traeger’s presence on the council and his thorough research and good, solid work as a council member,” Frisinger said at the last council meeting Traeger attended as a member.

Issaquah Councilman Mark Mullet is embarking on a campaign for the state Senate against incumbent Cheryl Pflug, Issaquah’s representative in the chamber.

Mullet, a Democrat and the proprietor of Zeeks Pizza and Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shop in the Issaquah Highlands, became the latest local candidate to enter a race for state office in recent days.

Pflug, a registered nurse and Maple Valley Republican, intends to run for re-election to the seat.

Mark Mullet

Mullet focused on education and the economy in a pre-announcement interview. He also said the 5th Legislative District needs closer ties among the state senator and city leaders throughout the sprawling district.

In 2004, Pflug, then a state representative, succeeded Dino Rossi in the state Senate; she has been subsequently re-elected.

The field also includes Republican Brad Toft, a Snoqualmie businessman. More candidates could enter the race before the May filing deadline.

Issaquah and other local voters pick the top two candidates, regardless of party affiliation, Aug. 7 in the all-mail primary election.

The former 5th Legislative District posed a challenge to Democrats. The redrawn district debuting in the 2012 election sheds some Issaquah neighborhoods for a more rural — and conservative — character.

Forterra, the former Cascade Land Conservancy, lauded local efforts to preserve open space in a 2011 roundup of land conservation efforts throughout the region.

Overall, Forterra contributed to efforts to preserve almost 5,000 acres of forests, farmlands and natural areas last year. The nonprofit organization recognized Issaquah for a successful transfer of development rights program.

The long-running effort to preserve Park Pointe — a slice of Tiger Mountain forest near Issaquah High School — ended in March 2011, after more than a decade of public and behind-the-scenes negotiations to halt construction of hundreds of houses once proposed for the land.

Under the agreement, officials instead steered development from the Park Pointe site to land in the Issaquah Highlands.

Issaquah is a Cascade Agenda Leadership City — a long-range planning effort from Forterra meant to reduce unchecked growth and encourage denser development in the region. The program includes 18 cities throughout the Puget Sound region.

Issaquah Councilman Mark Mullet is embarking on a campaign for the state Senate against incumbent Cheryl Pflug, Issaquah’s representative in the chamber.

Mullet, a Democrat and the proprietor of Zeeks Pizza and Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shop in the Issaquah Highlands, became the latest local candidate to enter a race for state office in recent days.

Pflug, a registered nurse and Maple Valley Republican, intends to run for re-election to the seat.

Mullet focused on education and the economy in a pre-announcement interview. He also said the 5th Legislative District needs closer ties among the state senator and city leaders throughout the sprawling district.

2012 Issaquah goals are very achievable

Each year our news staff and editorial board put their heads together to create a list of goals for the Issaquah area. Some are repeats from former years, but are still on our wish list.

Environmentally speaking — Local restaurants need to step up and get compliant with the city’s mandate on use of recyclable containers. Most already have, but not all. The city should go a step further and follow Seattle’s lead in banning plastic grocery and retail bags.

Central Issaquah Plan — The plan that will act as a guideline for redevelopment of Issaquah’s business district should be completed this year. Take it one step further and implement it for new development in the highlands, too.

Park Pointe — Now that the land deal is done, the city and volunteers can transform the 100 acres on Tiger Mountain for everyone to enjoy; Issaquah Environmental Council volunteers started the process last week by planting native species.

Economic development — With the re-engineering of how City Hall functions to encourage a more robust economic development of the business community, the time has come for action. Put measurable goals in place immediately with an eye toward filling vacant storefronts.

Renewal defined the year, as the community paused after a population boom and economic bust — and positioned Issaquah for the decades ahead.

Milestones from the last 12 months offer contrasts.

Leaders opened showcases for “green” design and concluded a milestone effort to preserve Tiger Mountain forestland. Tragedy left indelible impressions, too, as a gunman menaced downtown pedestrians on a September morning and turned a school campus into a crime scene.